Create graphics and animation using computer programs and illustration
Work with a team of animators and artists to create a movie, game, or visual effect
Research upcoming projects to help create a realistic design or animation
Develop storyboards that map out key scenes in the animation
Edit animation and effects based on feedback from directors, head animators, game designers, or clients
Meet with clients, head animators, games designers, and directors to review deadlines and development timelines
Multimedia artists and animators often work long hours
it is not unusual for them to work 50-hour weeks.
When deadlines are approaching, they may work nights and weekends.
Multimedia artists and animators held 66,500 jobs in 2010.
In 2010, 59 percent of workers were self-employed.
They often work from home.
Some work for motion picture or video game studios.
They frequently work in offices.
bachelor’s degree in computer graphics
Artistic talent.
Animators and artists should have artistic ability and a good understanding of color, texture, and light.
They may be able to compensate for a lack of artistic ability with better technical skills.
Computer skills.
Many multimedia artists and animators do most of their work using computer programs or writing programming code.
Those with artistic talent may be able to find work without strong computer skills.
Creativity.
Artists and animators must be able to think creatively to develop original ideas and make their ideas come to life.
People skills.
Multimedia artists and animators need to work as part of a team and respond well to criticism and feedback.
Physical stamina.
The hours required by most studio and game design companies are long, particularly when there are tight deadlines.
Artists and animators need to be able to keep up with the long hours and challenging work.
The median annual wage of multimedia artists and animators was $58,510 in May 2010.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,840, and the top 10 percent earned more than $99,830.
Expected growth will be due to increased demand for animation and visual effects in video games, movies, and television.
It will be slowed by companies hiring animators who work oversees.
Consumers will continue to demand more realistic video games, movie and television special effects, and three-dimensional movies.
Video game studios will require additional multimedia artists and animators to meet this increased demand.
An increased demand for computer graphics for mobile devices, such as smart phones, will lead to more job opportunities.
Multimedia artists will be needed to create animation for games and applications for mobile devices.
Growth will likely be limited because some animation work is being sent to other countries.
Studios can often save money on animation by using lower-paid workers outside of the United States.
Bachelor’s degree programs in art include courses in painting, drawing, and sculpture.
Degrees in animation often require classes in drawing, animation, and film.
Some schools have specialized degrees in topics such as interactive media or game design.
Multimedia artists and animators often work in a specific medium.
Some focus on creating animated movies or video games.
Others create visual effects for movies and television shows.
Visual effects, also called computer generated images or CGI, include creating animation from images of actors performing or designing scenery or backgrounds for locations.
Artists and animators can further specialize within these fields.
Within animated movies and video games, artists often specialize in characters or scenery and background design.
Video game artists may focus on level design: creating the look, feel, and layout for the levels of a video game.
Animators work in teams to develop a movie, visual effect, or electronic game.
Each animator works on a portion of the project, and then they put the pieces together to create one cohesive animation.
Some multimedia artists and animators create their work primarily using computer software or by writing their own computer code.
Many animation companies have their own computer animation software that artists must learn to use.
Other artists and animators prefer to work by drawing and painting by hand and then translating that work into computer programs.
Some multimedia artists use storyboards, which look like a comic strip, to help visualize the final product during the design process.
Multimedia artists and animators often work in a specific medium.
Some focus on creating animated movies or video games.
Others create visual effects for movies and television shows.
Each animator works on a portion of the project.
put the pieces together to create one cohesive animation.
Some multimedia artists and animators create their work
primarily using computer software or by writing their own computer code.
Many animation companies have their own computer animation software that artists must learn to use.
Other artists and animators prefer to work by drawing and painting by hand
then translating that work into computer programs.
Some multimedia artists use storyboards.
which look like a comic strip, to help visualize the final product during the design process.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Multimedia Artists and Animators, on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/multimedia-artists-and-animators.htm (visited September 06, 2012).